The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-01-13
Let Him Who is Without Sin Cast
the First Some.

the First SeOne.
We cannot say that we have had very
EXALTED opinion Of President Cleveland's {
lead or heart. Tho former lacks the
raining and comprehension suited to the |
position he holds, and the latter has CIV {
IN out so many receptions and so much
cheap demagoguery, that we had come
b COX upon him as President with very I
few redeeming qualities. But his recent
act in sending to the Senate the name OF
Mr.. Manning, as minister to Mexico, has
brought us to the conclusion that he has
moral as well as physical courage. Man
ming was appointed during the recess OF
Congress, and on his arrival at the City
of Mexico he met with social club,
where he indulgea in some yillainous
Mexican liquor by which he was I'M
manned, it was stated, and made himself
notorious. The statements about his con-
dition were, on their face, sensational, II
not malicious. But even if they had been
true, they did not constitute sufficient
caase for the government to place brand
of disgrace upon him and infiict upon his
children the odium that would have at
tached to such condemnation. At best II
was slip on the part Of the Minister
an accident, resulting from his nervous
constitution, more than from debauched
moral sense. There are iplenty OF Demo
cratic favorites in high places, who are
guilty of even more serious offenses in.this
line than that charged against Manning,
vet they still retain the confidence OF the
party, and it is considered treason to the
organization to say taught against them.
The instigators and promoters of the SEN
sation, many of them. drink more whis-
ky in a week, probably, than Manning
does in year-are always loaded with
pint or quart-and uttered their impre-
cations upon Manning, with the fumes OF
whskey pervading the air all around
them. Yet they would condemn and dis
grace him for one act of indiScretion,
| while condoning continuous condition OF
| inebriety in themselves and others, equal
| iy. if not more prominent than Manning.
| We by no means approve of excessive
drinking, even by accident, but there is
no manliness, no humanity, in singing
out one man in prominent position upon
whom to visit condemnation. while hun
dreds of others. more offending than he,
go without reproof. Drinking whisky is
not the greatest sin that can be committed.
1t is great enough and should not be en-
couraged or tolerated, but there are other
more aggravated habits. of moral debauch-
cry INDUCED right under the shadow of
the capital and under the glare Of the cleo
trio light that illumines Washington,
which degrade both soul and body
and generate a pestiferous moral con-
| dition, which is an offence to every
sense of decency and propriety. These
culprits go unwhipped of justice, are fon-
died and caressed by the "best people,
and aught is ever said about them or their
, offenses through the newspapers. Cleve
land did right not to give his sanction to
: | tie inflated sensations about Manning,
: while recognizing socially and politically
far more Objectionable characters. who
stand high in the affairs of the Nation
| Let him who is without sin cost the first
, stone.
The other case to which We refer, in
which Cleveland acted well and molly, is
thus related by the Washington Star, Of
: the 9Th: Among the visitors at the
: White House this morning was a young
man who was recently pardoned from the
penitentiary by the President. The young
man had travelled a long distance to thank
the President in person. On sending in
his card, the President at once recogn lied
the name and asked that the young man
be called in. The President received him
with cordial shake of the hand and lis
tened While the young man thanked him
:. for restoring him to liberty and to his
family. The President made some inqui
!, | ries about the prison and for some mo-
= ments talked to him in a fatherly man
ner, telling him that there was plenty Of
room in the world for him to become 6
Il useful citizen, and advised him to go t6
9 work and make a man of himself and hi
Z should watch his course with interest
: The grateful young man promised that
q with God s help he would follow the Pres
n ident' kindly advice"
u The conduct of the President in thu
case Of this unfortunate young man, vii
i impress a right meaning and conservative
> public very fayorably. Mr.. Cleveland
could not possibly expect anything in re
IS turn from this pardoned convict in a polit
o ical sense, His influence could not be O
If advantage to the President in any aspira
If ton he may have connected with part.
# matters. Yet the manner in which Mr.
e Cleveland met him-the counsel and kind
3. ly greeting and advice rendered, may hav'
l. the effect to make man of the youth, ant
e stimulate him to live down whatever of
:. Tense he had committed, and make him ;
valuable member of community Their
g is something morally grand about this &C
r and gives an inner view of Mr., Cleve
{ land s nature that deserves far more credi
: than any act of his administration.
Tho Casa nf Gluuariua